Cap for tanks



May 20 1924.

w. GRIFFIN ET AL.

QAP Fon .TANKS 'Fled Oct. 6, 1922 Patented May 20, 1924,

Umren sr 'rais can son, TANKS. A.

yapplication `inea caterer @1922@iisefialliwo.lasagna. `Y j To all whom it may conce/rn.' v Be it known that we, WILLrAM H. GRIFFIN and FRANK ILLINGWORTH,f both `citizens'of the United States, residing at Fitchburg, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and. useful Cap for Tanks, of which the following isjaspecication. This invention relates to a cap adapted to be applied to av gasoline, water or other tank that has to be filled at, intervals and the particular objects thereof are to provide a simple and convenient mechanism whereby the tank ,can be opened to permit illing lor the liketand readily closed .again in a positive manner so that it will not openby accident. f

-The invention also involves improvements ,in thedetails of construction of the means by which the cap is held in closed position lon .20 its seat yieldinglyy and vet positively prevented from beingopened and inthe way of l supporting the closing disc itself. I

Further objects and advantages of theinvention will appear hereinafter.

Fig. 1 is a plan of a cap cover constructed` in accordance with this invention and shown in open position in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a central sectional view of `the same shown'in closed position; and 80 Fig. 3 is an end view thereof.V

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of th'evcapl` in inoperative position.

Although capable of general use, this invention is particularly adapted for applica-` tion to the gasoline tank of an automobilel and for that purpose werhave shown it as applied to a cover 10 having an .internal screw thread and adapted to be screwed vv on the usual threaded inlet of a gasoline tank, 0 butit will be understood thatthe invention Y is capable of use with other types of covers.'

This cover is shown as provided with an opening 11 through which the tankt below can be filled. i

5 -On thisV cover also is a guide 13 having al horizontal upper surface preferably and a stop 14, a space `15 being provided between these two elements 13'and.14j The opening 11 is providedwith a raisedseat 16y surw' rounding it. the'side of this 'Aseat'o'pposite the lspace lthere is anfintegral proiec tion .20 having a cam surface 21 arranged at an inclinationifor a purposetfobe' described v and'provided with an inclinedfflat'top surface 22. From thecenterof this projection extends abolt'23 or. thefliike having ahead. L Under lthis -head thereis a spring 24 surrounding the bolt and resting on the upper surface of aclosinglever 25 Twhich is `pivot- J ally mounted on ',thebolt 23. j This lever 'has at its' endV Y beyond the pivotk ay projection 26, the lower surface of.y which is off cam shape and. lpitched yatthefsarne angle as the cam surfacel 21. -`The l,bottom of the/lever 2 5 is adapted tov rest on the-.inclined surface 22 when notjvforcedv away from the' ysame in a manner to bedesc'ribed. l

This lever is, provlded vwith av projection 28 which: is ernlznloy'vedr as a,handle. point that is central with"respec t-to the opening `11, 'when'the device is closed, itis provided with an opening 29. Inthis opening there vis a. bushing 30 surrounding. a screw'31 with a loosejt., vThis kscrew is integral with a cap 32' preferably f or at least iixedly connected therewith. This 'cap has a packing 33 around its edgefand'is'adapted to rest on y the seat 16 4to* close the same. `A

4nut Sten lthetop of thelever-25 screws yup on the screw 31 randholdshthe cap `32 in place on ther lever.` y'I lhefbushing 30v islarranged `tovhave a length greater thanthe thickness ofthe'lever at that point so that the nut 34 willF screw down on top of the bushing and fleave vthe cap 32 lsomewhat loose `in position on the leverandfcapable of turningthereon. In the operation of thedevice,;the cover 10 is intendedto be permanently screwed on the threaded inlet ofthe tank 12. It is not meant by this that it is limpossible to take itoif but'simplythatitis notvintended totake it off eachl time the tankis filled. When the tankisflledthrough the opening 11 the ycap is in theposition shown in dotted lines 'in Fig.1lfi Itisclose'd simplyzby swinging lthe handle around wrto the full line position in Fig-1l This cap has asu'rfacc 35 lwhich f adapted to -rest` .on to-p of Ythe guide 13 Ata whilethef-ca'p beingclosed.' Itfwillibe ob-,

served falsothat the two cam s ,urfacesy 21 and 26 coi-'act `.with each otherduringsthe closing This spaces the/ lever farthrfffrpmthegop 0f lonly ,one particular kind' of a tank closure,

the cover vthan when it is open and insures that it will be perfectly simple and easy to bring the cap 32 over the cover into the place for closing. -It is vspaced from the same by the movement of the lever caused by thel two cam surfaces. At the same time the handle end of the lever is held up by the surface 131so that the capi32 isnotfin con'-A tact with its seat until the instant of closing which occurs when the lever slips olf the surface 13 into the spac,e 1,5. Whenthis occurs the two cams 21 and`26 are at their eX- treme v positions vexerting the maximum vpressure yon the` spring-and. thev spring is actf ing` onthe surface of the, lever to 'force the same downfaboutthe` two .camv surfaces 21 and 25 as a/vfulcrum'. Thespace 1,5 isy'deep enoughso that itdoes not aifordany opposition 4to this action and Vthe lever jfthenp'is pressed down by thespringso it rests ontop of thecap .which foreesthe cap firmly 1nto contac't'with the open seat non the cover. r

When it isldesiredtofopen thevtank,`the lever is first "forced upwardly against xthe actionof the spring.I This raises'the lever out of contact with the cap andy into contact with the nut and yfinally,thrr'iugh the action of the knut 34C raises l the cap upwardly directly off itsSeat. The operator then moves vthe lever on" to theright so `that its ibottomv willrest on the surface 13. i/lthoughuit'isl natural for `him to Vpush y itv around the `restof -the way, even4 if he didnot, the-cam surfaces 21 and 26 would act to move it ,aroundl and open the cover so thatthetank canbefillled. l ,4

A casing 10V surrounds the .spring under the head ofthe bolt '23. It is `out out to receive thek lever `and turnswith'` it.. The surface ,22 lis inclined to ,lift the ,lever off the `top of the surface 13 as itswings away. lIt will` be seeny therefore that `by this arrangement we have provided an inexpensive'` and accuratelyy working devicecforrthe purpose intended which securely seals the tank when ,closed and .can 'be vopened .readily and without unscrewing the cover and also without vinjuring-*any screw threads ,or o

other elements required .for ckeeping the cover closed.A Iffthe parts become worn ,very much vin practice, theserewylcan be screwed' :down Y aV little I more Vtoincrease the resistance of the yspringf7 .thus overcoming :any wear ,thatmaytake'place although ,we havegiiigapated and ne-' Iscribed only a single form oftl 1feinven tion'and referred to ,its use lespecially for for. Vgeneral usea'ndthat inodfliolls can the details of construction herein shown fsaidseat, a: lever on which saidcap is y freely and movably supported, a guide for ythefree end of said lever located on the cover, and yielding means for forcing said lever downy t engage the cap and hold it in position to'seal the opening inthe cover.

2. In a tank closure, the combination with a lcover having an openingthere` through provided .with aA seat on vthe top thereof, of a cap adapted. to rest on the topof said seat andhaving a screw eX-,

tendingrupwardlytherefrom, a lever `.having a passage for said screw, a guide for the free endv of said lever located o n the cover, yielding `means for forcing said levery downin the cover, a bushing in the passage surrounding the screw and of,` a length greaterythan vthe thiclmess Aof saidY lever, and aAnut onthe top of the lever adapted 'loI to.-be screwed downl on said bushing for holding the cap on the lever in a position to` turn and move thereon.

v3. In .a tank closure, the combination with ra lcover having` an opening- Atherethrough provided with a seat on the top fthe-reof, of a cap adapted to rest on the top of said seat, a lever on which saidcap is freelyv and movaJb-ly supported, a guide for the freeV `end of said lever located on the cover, yieldingmeans kfor forcingsaid` lever -down to engage-.the capand hold it in positionto seal the opening in the cover, and positive kmeans for forcing upwardly the end of said .lever opposite said guide, the

yielding means being located between thev positive means andthe cap.

4. In a closure foratank, the combina tion of a cover on the tankhaving an openingtherethrough provided with aseat on thetop of said opening, with a lever pivoted` von said cover, a cap adapted to rest on' said rseat and movalbly supported by .said lever,

a :guide on the cover for the-free rend of ,"saidfleven a sp'ringlfor forcing the lever downwardly toward thekc'ap, said cover and :lever vhaving a pair :of co-acting cam surfaces at afpoint beyondA the springforforcing the lever upwardlyatthat end to, compress the spring and hold the lever down at lthe .other vend against thecap.

- 5. In a closure for a tank, the combinal. tion .with-a :cover on the tank having an ,openlngtherethrough provided with ai, seat on ythe top .of said. opening, of aflever r1'livoted,.1 -on said cover, near one side` a cap `adapted .torest on said seat movably sup- 'pohrgtedvinnderfsaidy levenla guide on Athe cover opposite the pivot of the lever `for the free end of said lever, a spring surrounding the pivot for forcing the lever down- Wardly toward the cap, said cover and lever having a pair of (xo-acting calm surfaces at a point beyond the pivot on'which the lever is mounted for forcing the lever upwardly at that end and downwardly at FRANK ILLINGWORTH. WILLIAM H. GRIFFIN. 

